Monoclonal antibody (1116 NS 19-9) defined monosialoganglioside (GICA) in colorectal carcinoma in relation to stage, histopathology and DNA flow cytometry.

Immunoreactivity of 1116 NS 19-9 monoclonal antibody defined monosialoganglioside (gastrointestinal cancer-associated antigen, GICA) has been studied in a series of colorectal carcinoma patients of a multicentre prospective controlled trial in order to assess its correlation with parameters such as localization, stage histopathological characteristics and DNA flow cytometry. GICA could be detected in 60% of the carcinomas, but no correlation was observed between its status of immunoreactivity and any of the parameters studied. It is concluded that, though study of the expression of the monosialganglioside may be worth while in relation to fundamental aspects of behaviour of colorectal carcinomas, the significance of its immunohistochemical detection in a diagnostic or prognostic sense is limited.